Durham League

Tyneside this week brought to an end an unparalleled Durham League record when they conceded, for the first time in their history, a league game. That forfeit, which counts as a defeat, brings to an end an amazing run of victories which stretches back to December 1, 1999. That was the date on which Tyneside last lost a Durham Womens League game when Sunderland beat them 73-63. Since then, and since the new Millennium began, Tyneside have won two championship titles without losing a game and were on track to make it three in a row with 13 wins from 13 league outings so far this season.

Despite the decision to concede that game, incidentally to Nunthorpe Boro Bruins, Tyneside did manage to play and win their 14 league fixture of the season, when they won 71-51 at home to East Durham and Houghall Academy.

Academy have enjoyed their best ever season in the Durham League and until losing to Nunthorpe last week they appeared to be one of the more serious challengers to the Tyneside crown. Unfortunately for Academy the difference between the two teams was Tyneside's American, Taacha Brown who not only finished the game with 34 points, but turned the screw just when it mattered.

With 15 minutes gone the two teams looked evenly balanced with the score on 23-20 to Tyneside. Brown then made her first serious move to net ten points in a row and take the locals into the half-time break with a 33-24 cushion. Deirdre Hayes, playing her first game after a long injury, then picked up her lead and when the pair of them shared in a 12-7 finish to the third quarter Tyneside were comfortable at 55-38 ahead. An even final quarter meant that the advantage was never threatened.

Debbie MacLennan and Hayes added 15 and 12 points each to the 34 scored by Brown for Tyneside. Louis Barnes and Ruth Cass netted 14 and 13 for East Durham.

University of Teesside had a busy, but unsuccessful week in the mens first division when they played and lost two fixtures.

The week started on a low, for them, when they hosted East Durham and Houghall College A in what was effectively the division one 'wooden-spoon' decider. The match losers would be spoon winners and as it happened East Durham won 113-87 which meant that University 'won' the more dubious honour.

University did in fact make the better start. Tunde Falade and Sam Rowley were quickly into the groove, but Darren Spence hit back for College and after ten minutes University were just up at 30-28. College began to take a grip on the game in the second quarter when the University offence began to flounder and when the half-time whistle blew the visitors were 56-46 in front. Things got a little heated during the third quarter as University increased the pressure at both ends of court to match College shot for shot and with ten minutes left the deficit was more or less the same at 81-69. College sealed the game with a 26-18 final quarter as Ian Barrow, from the baseline, and Graham Hunter, on the break, eased College away.

Darren Spence as the East Durham match winner with 41 points, but he got more than good support from Barrow and Hunter who got 29 and 23 points each. Falade was excellent for his 29 point match total, three other players hit double figure scores for University; Rowley, John Freeman and Chris Harnish with 18, 16 and 10 respectively.

Things were just as bad for University of Teesside at the end of the week when Norton A made the short trip from Stockton a successful one by winning their derby 100-72.

Once again University made the better start. This time good outside shooting from Phil Hale and Chris Harnish set the ball rolling and with only Steve Butler responding for Norton it was the students who reached the end of the first quarter with a comfortable 26-19 cushion. The second quarter was a disaster for University as their offence all but dried up. At the other end of court Norton were having no such problems as Butler and Liam O'Donohue shared the bulk of the 36 points which gave them a commanding 55-38 interval advantage. Once in front Norton were able to dictate the pace and direction of the game, although it was Butler who did most of the damage with a massive 54 points.

O'Donohue and Gareth Wood added 19 and 16 points apiece for Norton, as once again four players collected double figures for University; Sam Rowley (20), Hale (13), Tunde Falade (12) and Harnish (11).

Belmont A celebrated their winning of the second division title with a massive 119-51 win over their guests East Durham and Houghall College B.

East Durham have been running up some impressive scores this season, including a new Durham League second division record of 160 points against Durham Knights. But with a weakened team, it was their turn to get a roasting.

Belmont set out their stall from the start. Gary Simpson and Andrew Knox opened in fine style and the match as a contest was all but over before it had got going as the first ten minutes closed at 22-9. Tony Swallow and Andrew Bains initiated a College revival in the second quarter and a 15-12 phase meant that the Belmont lead was held at 37-21 just four minutes short of half-time. The College hopes were firmly dashed though when a 10-0 burst put the Durham side home and dry at 50-23 with twenty minutes left. The second half turned into something of a procession to the College baskets and six Belmont players all made double figure contributions; Simpson (27), Lee Davie (27), Ian Hewitt (17), Geoff Pollard (17), Stephen Graham (16) and Knox (13).

Bains did best for East Durham with 20 points, David Wylie and Swallow hit 12 and 11.

Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A, who had not played a game for a month, were no match for the in-form Hartlepool Hornets and the latter charged to a 98-47 success in their derby at Dyke House School.

The game was all done and dusted in the opening quarter. Dan Bailey and Graham Ord went straight for Hydraulics jugular and with seven minutes gone Hornets led 17-2. Three-point baskets from John Middleton and Bailey helped stretch that advantage to 26-3 and when Hornets closed the quarter with eight unanswered points, ten minutes had passed and Hornets were buzzing at 35-5.

A cricket score looked likely when Hornets passed through the interval at 54-16, but a half-time dressing down stirred Hydraulics and a more positive attitude won them the third quarter 22-17. The recovery was short lived though as Hornets brought out their big guns again in the shape of Bailey and Ord and they combined to blast Hydraulics aside with a 20-4 spell in the first eight minutes of the final quarter.

Dan Bailey hit a season's solo high of 41 points as Ord, Sean Ward, and Middleton added 17, 15 and 11 points respectively for Hornets. Gary Keith and Andrew Griffiths hit 12 and 10 for CJ Hydraulics.

The third and final division two game of the week netted Consett Steelers a comfortable 78-52 victory at home to guests Shildon Strollers.

Steelers almost ran away with the game at the start as Mat Patterson and Garry Gowans shared most of their points in a 26-10 first quarter charge and although the visitors toughened up on defence on the restart Patterson was still able to score regularly to take Steelers into half-time with a 42-21. The third quarter was Strollers best. Terry Fell and Mal Turnbull began to make themselves felt inside Steelers key and Strollers won the quarter 20-18. They then threw everything at Steelers in the shape of a full court press, but the quicker Steelers youngsters responded with a 13-0 run led by Dan Patterson to seal the game long before the end.

Mat Patterson was once again the leading scorer for Consett Steelers with 28 points as brother Dan hit 15 and Mark Ewen and Brendan McNeaney scored 12 each. Best for Shildon Strollers was Turnbull on 14.

Division One: University of Teesside 87 East Durham and Houghall College A 113; University of Teesside 72 Norton A 100.

Division Two: Belmont A 119 East Durham and Houghall College B 51; Hartlepool CJ Hydraulics A 47 Hartlepool Hornets 98; Consett Steelers 78 Shildon Strollers 52.

Division Three: East Durham and Houghall College C 53 Belmont B 60; Hartlepool Hawks 86 Specsavers Wear Valley Wolves 68; Norton B 63 Young Houghtonians 64.

Womens Division: University of Teesside 59 Tyne and Wear Cadettes 60; East Durham and Houghall Academy 79 Northumbria 68; Tyneside 71 East Durham and Houghall Academy 51.